The Lone Wolf."A person who prefers to work, act, or live alone (Source)."I used to think that the epitome of tough was embodied in the Lone Wolf. I am sure that this mentality has something to do with the video games that I play. While it may be true that only the toughest survive in "Lone Wolf mode" that is simply NOT how we were created to live. In fact, as I dug into the topic a bit more, I found this interesting quote, "Wolf packs in general function similarly to The Three Musketeers' motto of 'one for all, and all for one.' The bonds within these canine groups seem as strong as glue in spite of intrapack fighting and fierce hierarchies. But individual wolves within the packs play unique and important roles that contribute to collective survival (source)."(Check out this article published by Dr. Stuart Grassian about the effects of solitary confinement when you have a chance. Sounds like Hell!)

I find it interesting that even among the wolves the best way to live is with the pack. Notice the last sentence of this quote, "But individual wolves within the packs play unique and important roles that contribute to collective survival." Individuality plays an important role among the wolves and it is how the wolves use their uniqueness to contribute to the whole that allows the pack maximum impact.

I think this all alludes to a more disturbing undercurrent of thought that tends to run through collective conscience of most people my age and that is this, "I can do life with God on my own. I don't need anyone else." Think about that for a minute. What a person is essentially saying when they profess this type of faith is that they don't need you. They don't need me.

What if one day your hand decided that it no longer needed you to live? So it detached itself from your body and started doing life alone. I know, I know... that's ridiculous! A hand can't just decide to leave the body; that's impossible. Isn't that EXACTLY what we do if we decide that we can live life with God on our own?

Here look at this: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. (source)"

The author of this part of the Bible goes on to further explain how all who call themselves followers of Jesus fit together, "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you.' (source)"

We are all special. We are all given uniqueness. We are all created to use our own giftedness, creativity, talents and experiences to help form a more complete Body that God can then use to reach the world around us to help bring healing to the brokenness that we are faced with everyday. We all belong to each other if we are truly followers of Jesus. We are not disconnected Lone Wolves.

Look at what Paul says about how we are all uniquely gifted, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to hisfaith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (italics are mine)"

I must confess, I cannot build a house (gift of craftsmanship). I do not host gatherings very well (gift of hospitality). I am "just ok" at leading a band (gift of music). How are you wired? What do you do well? What do you love to do? We need you to contribute your giftedness to the Body so that we may be a more complete, whole representation of Jesus to heal our broken world.

In fact, God uses the experiences that we have both bad and good to help others if we are willing. Through our willingness, God fosters change and offers the world hope through us. Can we all dig wells in Africa? Can we all teach children about God? Have you ever met someone that just always seems to know how to encourage you with the right words at the right time? These are gifts that God has given to us whether we realize it or not.

Yes, that does mean that the experiences we suffer through can be used for good in this world if we are willing. The alcoholic that abused you or the sexual abuse you suffered through or the overbearing parent that emotionally and verbally persecuted you or the best friend that betrayed you or the depression that weighs on you or the loneliness that haunts you... God can turn these horrible experiences into beautiful stories of His grace and mercy and love. Through our willingness and our unique giftedness we can reach out to others who are stuck in that situation and offer them God's hope, mercy, love and grace.